"Sharad Yadav is a senior leader and derogatory remarks about women are not expected from him. He must apologise to women," she said here.

Yadav was at the centre of a controversy last week over his comments on south Indian women.

"The body of women from south is as good as beautiful they are. They (women) in our region are not that good as those (in south) know dancing," Yadav had said in Rajya Sabha during a debate on insurance bill.

In the Rajya Sabha yesterday, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani appealed to Yadav not to bring in issues like colour of women but the JD-U leader retorted in a tone of derision, saying "who are you?".

"There has been a long struggle against discrimination based on colour... I am ready to participate in a debate any time," Yadav had said.